Proper Use of Slip Collars

"The slip collar, commonly miscalled a choke collar, is available in various styles, most people will associate the chain slip collar as the primary training collar. Slip collars are available in all types of materials from chain, cord, elastic stretch (bungee cord), fabric, flat strap, and safeties.

“Choke Chains” are not intended to choke your dog! The intent is that when the collar is tugged it will pinch the brachial nerve in the dogs neck (much like pinching the funny bone) or according to some people it is intended to simulate how a mother will nip a puppy on the neck to correct it. The Slip Collar is NOT intended to choke your dog. If your dog is choking with the use of this collar then use a different collar!

If you are going to use a slip collar; be it chain, cord, leather, or strap, learn how to use it properly before you put it on your dog. Do some reading. Watch them in use. The first consideration is size. A collar that is too large will only detract from its primary effectiveness. Measure the size of your dogs neck high on the neck, not close to the shoulders. Then add an inch or two. That will be the size you want to buy. The proper fit should just slide over the dogs head without unduly pulling on the dogs ears.

Don’t buy large thinking “they’ll grow into it”. Instead buy 4 collars, one the correct size and another 2 inches larger and 2 other types of training collars in the proper size. Use the collar which gives you the level of correction you need. There is nothing that says you have to use one collar and one collar only during training. If a collar works during training for Sit/Stay but doesn’t work during training to Heel feel free to move to another collar. Switch back and forth. There is a benefit to this in that your dog will not become collar smart.

There is only two ways to put a slip collar on. You’d think people would get it right 50% of the time by chance, this doesn’t seem to be the case. The free end which connects to the lead should be over the dogs neck not come under. The position is important, over the neck the collar immediately releases pressure when slack is given. Under the neck this is not the case.

In use there should be no tension in the lead and approximately six inches of slack, the collar should be completely relaxed. Giving corrections with the slip collar should be short tugs. DON’T haul back like you’re setting a gaff in a fish. It is very easy to damage the dogs throat. DON’T let your dog run and hit the end of the lead. DON’T hold steady pressure on the lead constricting the dogs breathing. NEVER yank on the lead in anger. You can crush the dogs throat and kill them. Yes sad to say it does happen.

If the dog is hauling on the lead and choking constantly, this is not the appropriate time to use the slip collar. You must first teach it to not pull using another method. Many other training tools are available, such as martingale collars, halties (gentle leaders) and harnesses.

The slip collar is a training collar only. It should be on your dog only when training and under your direct control. If your dog is running free and having a blast being off lead then it shouldn’t be wearing a slip collar. I have seen a dog, wearing a chain slip collar, run and jump through a brush pile. The free ring got caught in a branch effectively hanging the dog. In this instance the owner was close enough to see what had happed and immediately rescued the dog, this is not always the outcome.

Remove the slip collar as soon as you are done training. Slip collars should never be on dogs that are tied outside. The dog is not under your direct control when tied out. Remember it is easy for a dog to back out of a slip collar. Also never leave the slip collar on the dog when you are not home. It could get caught on something and strangle the dog."

Note: I didnt personally write this blog. It was information I found on the internet, on the Fort Smith Animal Society website, so I cant credit the trainer. I have put the information in quotations, as not to mislead anyone. In closing, training tools are only as effective and humane as we are in using them. Any sort of correction, or "punishment" should be done thoughtfully and carefully, with the welfare of the animal as a priority.

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Ethan and Apple A Boy and His Dog

Ethan, 4 1/2 years old

Apple, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, 4 1/2 years old

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Training the terrible twos

As I get further into my studies as a dog trainer, I learn that there are many common threads between human development and canine stages of learning and behaviour. I often hear of people complaining that their previously sweet puppy, who is now a year and a half or nearly two is suddenly out of control and they need help. Recently, I began training a cute little mutt, a rescue from Mexico, named Sugar (above). She is adorable and smart, but very unruly. She reminds me of two year old child, discovering how to wrap adults around her little finger, or paw rather. Whether, the dog was brought home as a puppy, rescued as an adult dog, or just going through a stage, there will come a time when this cute little being will test you, its handler, to establish its boundaries. My advice to all dog owners who are struggling to get their dog under control is, ZERO TOLERANCE for any unwanted behaviour. Any repeated behaviour becomes learnt behaviour!

Many behavioral problems are in actuality training issues. With daily work, my dogs are getting progressively better behaved; nevertheless, some of their habits are unacceptable and seem to be chronic. Holly jumps up and pushes people over. She is a bully and barks at the neighbors. Miko, my boy dog, barks at everything, especially men. He also pushes past me and pulls on his lead. I have been working on improving their level of obedience and using positive training methods to reinforce their good behaviors. Unfortunately, even though they are improving and are more manageable; they are still misbehaving. The reason for this is that I have been unintentionally reinforcing their habits. Simply put, dogs only do things that work. They have a desired outcome, if achieved, the reward ensures they will perform the action again. The reason they continue to do these annoying things is because they bring about the desired results.

Regardless of your chosen training techniques, it is not effective to simply punish your dog for doing things you dont like! To decrease bad habits, you must give your dog the exact opposite of what it wants in order to make it clear that the action is not going to bring about the desired effect. Punishment, verbal and even physical, for some dogs is perceived as attention. For attention seekers like my Holly, the punishment becomes an enforcer! Squeaky noises, squealing and yelling at her makes her happy and reinforces the jumping. Pushing her down becomes a game. For Miko, his barking simply makes people go away. Even though he is often barking through the window and the passer-by is going by regardless; he perceives their retreat as a victory, which ensures he will do it again the next time. The same goes for pulling. Miko pulls me to get to the park faster and sure enough it does get us there! Even though I am correcting him the entire way, even treating him for heeling, he is reinforced by the fact that we get to the park because he has pulled me there. If I punish him by pulling back on the leash, it just amps him up!

To control unwanted behavior you must give the dog the opposite of what it wants. When Miko pulls, I turn around and walk him the other way. We dont move one inch toward the park until he heels nicely. If he barks through the window, he loses his privileges of looking out. I take away his ability to see the people move away. He values his freedom to look out the window and guard the house, so I made up a two bark rule. I take that freedom away from him, each and every time he barks (more than twice). When Holly jumps up for attention, she gets ignored and turned a back to. She must sit for any positive interactions. Jumping gets her nothing! Similarly, if she barks for attention or demands treats, she gets ignored or quietly put out of the room. This requires "Zero Tolerance" of bad behavior. I now do not allow her to pull on the leash either. She has a good heel, but lunges at other dogs. This results in me turning on my heels and walking the other way. She is aggressing over territory, barking, as well as lunging. This results in her losing access to that territory. What I had taken to be fear aggression may actually be a dominance issue. She wants to be top dog! Since aggressive displays now results in a loss of resources to her, the behavior has decreased.

Dogs are very simple creatures, in that they do what works! They learn like children, while we adults will bang our heads against a wall trying to fit a square peg into a round hole! Dogs will only try something a couple times without results. If it doesnt work, they will most likely move onto something that does. Figure out what is the most "basic" reason your dog is doing whatever it is you dont like and either make it impossible for the dog to continue that behavior, or give it the exact opposite outcome that it desires. This will aid in correcting them faster than verbal or physical punishment. (Technically, punishment is anything that decreases a behavior, but in this case I am referring to the familiar term of scolding or even physically dominating). In terms of reinforcing, I reward all good behavior too. Giving attention and / or resources (access to something), as well as praise and treats, will increase the good behavior while you are decreasing the bad. "Zero Tolerance" doesnt mean "punishment", it simply means consistency!

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A Virtually Dog Proof Kitchen Trash Can!

 Any of you that live with Beagles or other scent hounds realize the importance of dog-proofing the kitchen.  The Lovely and Beautiful Shane and I are currently doing a small remodeling project in our kitchen. As you may recall, from a previous blog post, we used to keep our trash can behind a latched door in the kitchen pantry. This was problematic because a simple latch is no match for a curious and motivated beagle. Beagles and scent hounds find the aroma of kitchen trash to be a highly motivating thing indeed!

The other problem with keeping the trash behind the latched door was that it was inconvenient. Anytime we wanted to throw something away, we had to deal with the latch and door.

We decided that we would rather have more open shelf and counter space than the enclosed pantry so, I removed a couple of walls and we are working on building a new counter and shelves. We are also installing some cool wall panels that look like stone work.  We are exited about this project but, we needed a trash containment solution that would deter motivated beagles and allow us convenient and easy access to the trash can.

Through much research, The Lovely, Beautiful, and Intelligent Shane found a really cool trash can manufactured by Simply Human. This trash can is a model that simply human refers to as "butterfly". It has a cantilever type of lid that is operated by a foot pedal. Because of the cantilever design, the lid closes very securely. The model that we purchased is slightly bottom heavy so, it stays upright pretty easily. We have had ours in the kitchen for about a month now and the dogs pretty much ignore it.

For a trash can, these units are a little pricey. However, we feel that this unit is well worth the price that we paid for it!

We bought ours at a clearance price from a local Bed, Bath and Beyond store. I suppose this would fall into the "beyond" department :) . I am not sure why Bed, Bath and Beyond stopped carrying this item. We really do like ours!

If you need help dog proofing your home, or if you need help training your canine buddy to be a polite little guy or girl, please contact me at any time.

Polite Dogs = Happy People.... Let me help you get happy today!!!

Till Next Time

-William

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Staffordshire Bull Terrier Cant Get Enough

Usually black dogs are hard to photograph.  Im not sure if they dont contrast well, or if it is just something in the color of their hair that reacts, but they are notoriously challenging.  However, Apple, my nearly-five-year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier, is a dream to take photos of.   Shes cute, shes fun and shes not afraid of the camera in the slightest.  Shes a ham.  Im not sure who enjoys the picture taking more, but the end result is my computer jammed full of Apple pictures.  Fortunately her dark black coat of hair doesnt usually pose a problem.  Here are a few photos from this afternoon: working on an antler chew and keeping Ethan company on the couch (hes running a slight fever so was spending the end of his day watching a movie). To view with better image quality, click on a picture.

(Cause being so cute is hard work!)

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Strategies For Training Your Dog

When you ask your dog to sit, does he or she look blankly at you? When you try to take him for a walk, does he resist? If the answer is "yes" then you need to learn some dog training techniques. Before you ask, dog training can also be fun and enjoyable for both you and the dog.

There is one canine training technique which I have tried and tested and it is great. It’s called the “Nothing in life is free” technique. It basically works on the fact that nothing is free, your dog has to do something to get something in return. For example if he wants food he has to remain seated until you make his dinner, or if you want to talk him for a walk then he has to lie down until you put his leash and collar on. This technique works as sooner or later your pet dog will understand that in order to get something he wants, he has to do something you want. What do you do if he doesn’t obey? Just walk away from him. Don’t shout at him or keep trying if he doesn’t listen just ignore him and walk away then about 5 minutes later go back and try again. He will get the message that you are the one in charge.

When dogs are born they usually have siblings and their mother is the “Leader of the pack”, when a young dog leaves his mother he starts to think that he is free and can do what he wants. When he first joins a family he starts to act dominant. He will want to be the leader. You can’t let him gain this position youll want to show him through dog training techniques that humans are the head of your house not the dog. He doesnt have to be aggressive to get what he wants. Sometimes dogs use the sympathetic approach using their puppy dog eyes. It is of paramount importance that you never give in.

Your kids may just turn out to be your secret weapon in terms of training your dog, they are at relatively the same height and dogs see them more as friends because of this, always supervise your kids when they are around animals though.

Dog training can most importantly be fund for you and dog, so ensure it is!

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Successful Methods To Effectively Train Your Dog

If you have never tried to train an animal, the idea may be rather intimidating. There is a lot of information out there and sorting through it all can seem difficult. These are just some tips to help you start out with dog training the right way.

Dogs need to play so always give your dog time to be a dog and to engage in normal canine behaviors. Feed your dog a balanced diet, give them space to run, and provide them with activities that will burn energy.

 Challenge your dog often. Provide your dog with fun ways to "quiz" it in order to ensure that it hasnt lost past training.

 When training a dog, make sure to stay consistent. Keep a list of commands to use, and make sure everyone who might need to command the dog knows them. Make sure everyone knows what to do in terms of rewarding the dog when it does well and not reinforcing poor behavior. If everyone is on the same page, the dog will better understand what is expected of him.

 When training your dog, always remember to have fun. Playing with your dog helps build a stronger bond between dog and human, which encourages the dog to respond positively during training. Although dog training can be fun, you dont really want to spend all your time in training mode.

 Anxious dogs are prone to chewing on things they shouldnt. If you give the dog a chew toy and put him in the safety of a dog crate, he can occupy himself while youre not at the house.

 Anxiety is frequently the cause of destructive chewing behavior. Give your dogs something they are allowed to chew on like a toy or treat, and put them in their kennel while you are away.

 Dogs can learn a multi-step behavior by stepwise refinement just like humans can. One example might be to teach him to fetch your daily newspaper. You will need to teach him or her how to hold something first. Next, your dog will need to learn the objects name. After that, he needs to learn how to lift up the object. Finally, he should learn to bring the object to you. If you break it down, your dog will understand the linear relationship of the behavior.

 Dont be ashamed to ask for help if your training program doesnt change your dogs behavior. Particularly if you are struggling to achieve the results you desire, professional help may be just what you need. Professional dog trainers know the ins and outs of this better than you. This may be what to takes to get your dog started on the right foot.

 A trick you could teach your dog is to hold something in his mouth, such as a toy. Get your dogs attention with a clicker and reward him with a snack when he tastes or mouths the toy. When this has happened several times, hold off until the dog grabs the toy with his or her mouth. As this happens, press the clicker and then offer the reward. Also, rewards should only be given if the toy remains in the dogs mouth.

 Keeping your dog active is an important part of successful dog training and is also good for their health. Dogs are designed to keep busy and active. They need to get plenty of good exercise to be happy and fit. Look for a local agility class, go for a run with your dog or teach him to play catch with a Frisbee. Keep your dog well entertained and you will eliminate many of the common problems, such as chewing on shoes.

 Dont bog your puppy down with more information than he can process. You need to keep your training sessions short so that your puppy pays attention. If training sessions are too long, the puppy wont remember the specifics of the training session, just that is was grueling and exhausting. This will make it harder to train him next time.

 Limit the duration of training sessions. Your dog is going to get bored doing the same thing over and over. Try to limit initial training sessions to 10 minutes or less.

 Your dog should know the difference between right and wrong at all times. This means everyone living in the house needs to enforce the boundaries you set. These inconsistencies can cause significant setbacks.

 Do not wear out your new puppy with an excessive training regiment. A puppys attention span is short and their energy is limited, so your sessions should be short and positive. If you push too hard, your puppy will remember it as a negative experience, and the next time you work to train him, it will be far more difficult.

 Prepare your dog early on for veterinary examinations. Touch your dog gently down the sides of his body and tell him he is being good when he does not react. Prepare your dog to accept someone handling his paws or looking at his teeth. Your friends can help out, too.

 Although there are many benefits to using a harness, you will have less control over your dog than if he is wearing a cinch collar. Keep your dog on his harness, but also use your cinching collar. Tug on his collar when its absolutely necessary, and your dog will soon learn how to obey wearing the harness alone.

 Crate training is an effective way to house train a dog. Always take your dog out consistently if you want to be effective at crate training. If youre patient you will find a dog who has been crate trained will make less messes inside.

 Just as a human likes to stretch out and lay on their backs, so do dogs. Therefore, it is essential to have a dog bed big enough for your furry friend. There are big, long dog beds around for larger dogs, or you could look for a mattress taken from a crib. This is a convenient and fun alternative because you have the opportunity to change the appearance of the bed and keep it clean by simply putting a new crib sheet on it every few days. The crib mattresses are also waterproof which means they are highly durable.

 A clicker works well when training most dogs. Using a clicker is as simple as showing your dog that good things happen when the clicking noise is heard. Try using this technique right away, doing it frequently over a span of a few days. Your dog will soon know that the clicking noise means that they are doing a good job.

 Dogs that are well trained are normally happy. Use the advice youve read to start training your dog properly..

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